I am Zola and I watch a ton of movies for entertainment and education. My reviews are pretty basic in content and simple to read. You will find them helpful when renting your next flick. Ratings are based on personal opinion and I do value and welcome all comments. Let Zola's Movie Pics help you find the perfect rental movie selection. I've just rated my 950th movie - please stay tuned for many more to come.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

The Golden Compass (2007) PG - 3½ Stars

A very elaborate production and visually the movie is stunning but acting wise, it lacks. The best part to me was the Polar Bear "Ice Bear" fight. Sometimes I felt there was more CGI than competent acting going on. There's a lot left unsaid that made me question the movie instead of loosing myself in it. For example, what time period are we supposed to be in? How did Lyra become to live in the dorm where she did? At first I questioned why Lyra would talk to this strange bearded man and then just leave aboard a ship with him. The ending apparently brings the lure of a sequel but a let down after a fairly good battle scene. I'm not sure why the movie had so many problems being labeled anti god or anti religious. Could it be the witches? It's just a fantasy good vs. evil story to me but I think it could have been so much better.

Our star is a young girl who befriends a bear and travels to the north to save her best friend. Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) is a 12 year old on the quest of a life time. The Magesterium is working to maintain their power within a developing society of people wanting to think for themselves. They're against people like her uncle, Lord Asriel (Daniel Craig), who wants to travel to a parallel world and then is almost poisoned for his non conformity.

The Golden Compass is the last of it's kind and everyone wants a look at it. But Lyra is the true owner as she is the only that can read it. The compass shows the owner, with it's hidden codes, the answers to all truths. Lyra uses it to travel north to find her best friend and the other children who are being separated from their demons. Every human has a demon, your soul in the form of a creature traveling outside of your body. Together with the Egyptians, the flying witches, the fighting Ice Bears, a crazy arrogant Mrs. Coulter (Nicole Kidman), Lyra tries to complete her quest.